BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh Madarsa Board has directed the 4,750 registered madarsas in the state to hoist the tricolour, hold cultural programmes and compulsorily take part in or organise 'Tiranga rallies' on the Independence Day.
The board issued a circular to this effect on August 10, in which it also asked the heads of these madarsas to click and e-mail photographs of the I-Day activities.
"All the madarsa managers are hereby ordered to hoist national flag, hold cultural programme and compulsorily take part or hold Tiranga rallies," reads the circular.
Talking to PTI over phone, Madhya Pradesh Madarsa Board chairman, professor Syed Imad Uddin, said, "We have asked the heads and students of the 4,750 registered madarsas to hold flag-hoisting and cultural events on Independence Day."
"These madarsas, which are registered with us, have also been asked to compulsorily take part in or organise Tiranga yatra (tricolour rallies) in their respective cities if no other organisation has planned such an event," he added.
"We want to demonstrate our love for the country by organising or taking part in such Tiranga rallies. If no other organisation holds such a rally on that day in a particular city, the madarsas have been asked to take out their own Tiranga rallies," Uddin said.
There are around 2.5 lakh students enrolled in these registered madrasas.
According to him, in the past as well the board had issued such directives, asking the madarsas to unfurl the tricolour and hold cultural events on the Independence Day and Republic Day.
"But we have added Tiranga yatra in the circular this time. All Madarsa heads have been asked to click and e-mail pictures of all activities to the board as in the past. The photographs will be used in the board's magazine and uploaded on its official website as in the past," Uddin said.
The Uttar Pradesh government has also directed all madrassas (Islamic schools) to hold celebrations on Independence Day and videograph the event.
The UP government has said that the events to be held on August 15 by the madrassas should include hoisting the tricolour, singing the national anthem and paying tributes to freedom fighters.